Falling Leaves and Crumbling Walls
by emberelle
Summary: Hetty requires the team to participate in a trust building exercise where each one has to tell why they are thankful for the members of the team. Surprises are in order, secrets are shared...and more than one might hear an unexpected answer.
1. The Beginning

_Author's Note: In Creative Writing class (which only has six kids), our assignment was to write why we were thankful for each of our classmates. That inspired this little plot in my head…had to get it out. I am only up to Season 2, episode 14…so I don't know as much about the characters as others do. This is just my opinion of the characters as I have seen them so far. Reviews are most welcome! :)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable…although I wish I did. _

Hetty, you can't be serious." Deeks protested as the diminutive woman passed out sheets of paper.

"I am most certainly serious, Mr. Deeks. This time of year it seems most appropriate to conduct this little exercise." Hetty smiled. "Most of us are in touch of _what_ we are thankful for, but sometimes we forget _who _we are thankful for." She glanced over at Kensi, who was failing to cover a smile at Deeks's discomfort. "So, I want each of you to write a little bit of why you are thankful for each member of the team. Don't be shy; no one will read them but me. I assure you. These are for your own self awareness." She handed a paper to Sam, and Deeks relaxed.

"You promise?" The scruffy man asked.

"I promise." Hetty nodded. "And I want these completed by next week. Remember, every member of the team. Including Eric and Nell. And rest assured, they have to complete this exercise as well."

"What about you?" Callen asked, accepting his fate quietly; he knew there would be no changing Hetty's mind.

"Yes, Mr. Callen, even me." Hetty straightened her glasses and left the bullpen with her usual grace.

"I am so screwed." Marty muttered. "I had to repeat creative writing class."

"I doubt Hetty is going to be grading these, Deeks." Kensi pointed out, pulling a pen out of her desk, starting on her assignment immediately.

"You don't know that." Sam pointed out, following Kensi's example. Callen and Deeks both shoved their papers under their piles of paperwork.

"Are you two waiting until the last minute to do it?" Kensi asked, grinning. Both men nodded and spoke at once.

"Yes!"

Kensi laughed, already done with one team member and moving on. This would be good for the boys, she felt. Of course, she had no problem writing her feelings about any team member….oh, wait…..

One Week Later.

Hetty called the whole team together, sitting them down and pouring them all warm cups of a nutty flavored tea. Hetty looked properly gleeful at something. She pulled out sheets of paper from her desk. The team recognized them as their 'thankful assignment.' Callen had a bad feeling suddenly.

"I confess, I was a bit misleading with my assignment; I said I would be the only one to read these, but I did not say anything about the fact I would be reading them out loud."

"Hetty! You lied to us?" Deeks squeaked suddenly, causing Nell and Kensi to chuckle slightly.

"I did not lie, Mr. Deeks; I was merely evasive." Hetty's eyes were twinkling. "It is a trait you would do well to perfect." She reached over and gently pulled Deeks's nose. The young man looked surprised as she pulled back and turned to Kensi.

"Did she just tweak my nose?" Marty looked over at Sam and whispered. The large man nodded, smirking.

Hetty pulled out a sheet of paper and looked at it for a moment. "I feel that the full impact of this team building exercise would be wasted if we did not actually share our thoughts." She looked right at Deeks and smirked slightly. "Shall we begin?"

"Do we have any choice?" Callen muttered.

"No, Mr. Callen, you do not, I am afraid." Hetty said sternly, but smiling. "Let us begin with a fearless member of our team to break the ice. Ms. Jones."

The red headed analyst smiled widely, obviously unruffled. Hetty cleared her throat and began to read.


	2. Why Nell is Thankful

_On: Eric. _

_I am thankful for Eric because he treats me like a person. I often push people away with my personality, and my little habit of finishing other people's sentences. But Eric didn't let that stand in the way; and he has helped me to overcome my bad habits more then I can ever know. He is also fun to work with…even if we disagree on methods sometimes. _

"Really?" Eric was grinning ear to ear. "You really think I am fun to work with?"

Nell nodded, smiling. "Of course!"

Hetty cleared her throat pointedly and silence descended again.

_On: Kensi _

_I am thankful for Kensi because she welcomed me into the team quickly. I have to admit that I was a little intimidated at first; she is really calm and cool and collected all the time and I am…not. But she has become a good friend (and I would never have watched Titanic if it hadn't been for our Girl's Night.) _

Deeks head shot up. "You two have a girl's night?"

Kensi laughed. "We have to; we work with you guys all the time."

_On: Deeks _

_I am thankful for Deeks because he makes me laugh, even if I am having a bad day. He is persistent, and doesn't let me give up on things. I hope we become better friends; I would love to know the recipe for those cookies he made me a while ago. _

Deeks was bright red as everyone looked at him. "What? I was going undercover as a pastry chief and wanted to make sure I didn't bomb it."

_On: Sam _

_I am thankful for Sam because he always watches out for every member of the team-even me. He is hard-working and an inspiration for me. His positive attitude makes even hopeless problems seem manageable. _

Sam looked pleased as Hetty moved on.

_On: Callen _

_I am thankful for Callen because he is the force that keeps us moving. Without his leadership, we wouldn't be half the team we are. And I appreciate him looking out for me that time I went along to that hostage situation even though he had enough to worry about. (And no, I have _never _taken candy from strangers.)_

Sam shot a look at Callen, smirking. "I was kinda kidding…" Callen muttered.

_On: Hetty _

_Where can I begin? I am thankful for Hetty because she continues to let me work with the most dynamic group of people I have ever known. She always seems to know what to say to cheer me up, motivate me, or put me in my place. She is the one person I know I can always go to if I have a problem, and I trust her completely. _

There was silence a moment, the Kensi leaned over and hugged Nell, smiling widely. "I already have another girl's night planned." She said as Hetty grabbed another paper.

The rest of the team either fist bumped or half hugged the excited young woman, thanking her for her notes.

"Yes, thank you for your kind words, Ms. Jones." Hetty said, settling the group down. "We will move on to Mr. Beal."

Eric paled slightly, smile gone. "M..me?"

"Unless one of the others has married you and changed their name, I am referring to you." Hetty glanced at him over her glasses. "Let's see what you wrote about your team."


	3. Why Eric is Thankful

**Author's Note: Wow! Just…wow! You guys blew me away with your support! I can't believe this little thing would attract so many people, I am glad you guys are enjoying it! On to Eric's list. **

_Deeks _

_I hate to admit it, but the guy makes me laugh. And he is persistent. And he usually doesn't make fun of my flip flops. Usually. _

"Wait…that's it?" Deeks said, slightly offended. Hetty smiled and moved on.

_Sam _

_He doesn't scare me. Any more. That much. He knows he knows nothing about computers and doesn't try to even pretend to know what I am talking about; just lets me do it. And he taught me to fire a gun. _

Callen looked at Sam. "You taught him how to shoot?"

Sam nodded. "I am still not sure if that was smart or not."

_Kensi _

_She is the nicest one of the agents. She always asks how my day is going and actually listens. She also brings me doughnuts. _

"You bring him doughnuts?" Deeks asked in surprise. Kensi nodded. "He fixed my computer and didn't charge me. I owe him."

_Callen _

_The guy knows his stuff and knows I know mine. He constantly expects me to move mountains, and I have to admit I try to live up to his expectations. _

Callen smirked as Sam openly laughed. Eric growled something about writing after he had had a couple of drinks.

_Hetty _

_Hetty recognizes my talent and for the most part lets me run loose. She respects me, and she makes sure I don't get arrested for hacking into banks and classified records on a regular basis. I would be even more thankful for her if she cut me some slack on my wardrobe…_

The team laughed as Hetty looked at the computer tech. "Fat chance, Mr. Beal."

_Nell _

_Nell took some getting used to, but I warmed up to her. She knows what she is doing, and I welcome her help. She also manages to brighten the day with her personality. She makes those long hours of running code seem much shorter. Even though we disagree sometimes on what should be done, we kick butt every time we team up. I hope she sticks around a long time. A long…long time. _

It was Eric's turn to blush as Nell looked at him with her forehead furrowed slightly. "We always get so much done! It makes my job easier!" He protested.

"So why did Nell get an entire paragraph when the rest of us got a couple sentences?" Sam asked teasingly. Eric sputtered as Deeks laughed hard.

"Don't laugh too hard, Mr. Deeks. You are next."

The detective went white. "Oh…" He looked at each member of the group quickly. "Don't kill me; I thought Hetty was the only one that would be seeing those…" He buried his head in his hands.

Hetty grinned like a shark as she unfolded his paper.


	4. Why Deeks is Thankful

_Why I Am Thankful For: Hetty _

_She-in her silent creepy ninja way-is always looking out for each and every one of us. She always seems to know what I am thinking, which, while eerie sometimes, helps when she knows something I don't want to say, or don't know how to say. She knows it anyway. She knows when not to press and when to push me. Plus she lets me play with all those cool gadgets that can do anything…she is like Mary Poppins…if Mary Poppins knew thirty seven ways to kill you with a poker chip and had access to military grade firearms. Kinda a scary thought, huh? But that is kind of her personality, I think. If one of us got sick, she would be over there with a sure-fire cure all from the mountains of Tibet, and if you don't take it she will force it down your throat with a smile. No spoonful of sugar there. And I am totally rambling. But you didn't say how long or short this had to be, Hetty! I'm sorry! Please put the letter opener down! _

Callen through back his head and started laughing harder than anyone ever heard him laugh before. Hetty put down the letter and stared at him. "Something amuses you, Mr. Callen?"

The rest of the team were trying to hide their own smiles as Callen and Deeks both looked chagrined. Then Callen started laughing again. "I'm sorry…but Deeks has a point about the spoonful of sugar. And the letter opener."

Deeks looked white as Hetty glanced at him. "I am sorry I did not clarify the assignment for you, Mr. Deeks, but you did just fine. Once Mr. Callen calms down we can continue."

Callen finally managed to stop laughing, as long as he didn't look at Sam. Hetty continued.

_Why I Am Thankful For: Eric _

_Eric can always find a clear thread tied to a white needle in a haystack in a blizzard. I can't imagine how we would function without him typing away at his little keyboard up there. And he totally fixed whatever was wrong with my laptop; that is no easy task. For a geek, he can run smack with me any day. Also not an easy task. He's a goofy dude sometimes, but hey. Can't hate on a fellow surfer. It's nice to have someone to talk about the surf with. Although that one time we went surfing he knocked me off my board. I think it was an accident, though. I hope, because if he did it on purpose that means he was trying to kill me, and I would hate that. Maybe I should bring him some coffee or something..._

Kensi looked at Deeks in curiosity. "When did you two go surfing?"

Eric answered. "A month ago. And it was an accident, I swear. I would have no use for killing you."

"That _I_ know of." Deeks muttered as Hetty tapped her foot impatiently.

_Why I am Thankful For: Nell _

_She is like a little bundle of energy all the time. She is like a squirrel with a double shot of espresso. She brightens the mood, but she is also professional. She can get the job done…she just does it extremely…perkily. Is that a word? Perkily? Sounds weird. Well, I decree it is a word. After all, all words came from someone deciding they were words. Anyway, Nell is a fun person to be around. And she was my test subject for those cookies I had to bake that one time…brave soul. Very plucky of her. Plucky…another weird word. Huh. _

"Who is the squirrel on coffee?" Sam whispered to Callen loudly. "He's rambling like crazy."

"Hey!" Deeks snapped defensively. "I just write what I think. When I think it. That's why I had to repeat writing class."

"I can see why." Kensi commented teasingly.

_Why I am Thankful for: Sam _

_He hasn't killed me yet. I am very, very thankful for that. I know I can push him sometimes, and I am grateful he allows me as much slack as he does. Although…he could be waiting for me to hang myself on that slack…naw. But he always has my back and I think he might take a bullet for me. Well…that is stretching it a bit. He would at least push me out of the way of a bullet. I think. I hope. Maybe I should bring him coffee too. And caviar. And beer. A lot of beer. One beer for every insult or joke I have pulled on him. Oh, man, they don't make enough…I am doomed. But I can't help joking with him. He is one of my heroes…and my heroes always seem to be disappointed in me, mad at me, or die. And I would rather have him mad at me then disappointed or have him die. I don't know if I could handle that. I don't know if he would take a bullet for me, but I would take a full clip for him. _

Deeks was a brilliant shade of red, alternating to white, then back to red as Sam looked at him.

"I'm a hero to you?" Sam sounded flattered.

Deeks ducked his head. "Yeah." He was quiet.

"May we continue?" Hetty asked quickly. She plowed ahead without waiting for a response.

_Why I Am Thankful For: Callen _

_Callen is my hero. His dedication to the team and everyone in it means a lot to me. I know that he would do anything and everything in his power to protect a member of his team. His complete trust in Sam is an inspiration, and his easygoing attitude is very calming. That isn't to say the man doesn't scare the bejesus out of me. Because he does. He is the kind that if you make him mad, he would smile at you, say something awesome and hilarious-probably in Russian-then put a knife through your left eye. And then while you are screaming and bleeding, he will kick you over and shoot you a couple times. On the upside, I think the only things that really make him mad is threatening someone he cares about or touching him when he is sleeping. Okay, that came out wrong. I meant trying to wake him up. I only made that mistake once. But even though he scares me, I wouldn't hesitate to jump if he said jump. I wouldn't even ask how high. _

Deeks didn't even bother looking at Callen; he hid his head behind his hands and prayed that it was possible to die from embarrassment. He had had things like this happen before. He thought he had cured his nervous rambling when he became a cop, but apparently…he was wrong.

He peeked out over his finger and looked at Callen briefly. Callen looked thoughtful, and slightly…proud? Flattered? Deeks couldn't tell. But he knew that there was only one left…and that one would be the worst.

_Why I Am Thankful For: Kensi _

_Why wouldn't I be thankful for Kensi? She is smart, funny, pretty…very, very pretty. She doesn't take anything off of me, and I wouldn't ask her to. I am not the kind of guy that trusts people easily, but I trust Kensi. If I would take a clip for Sam, I would face an entire firing squad for her. I would do anything to make sure that she stays safe…although that can be hard when she insists on being all independent and charges into something. But she isn't stupid with it; even if she does think with her heart a lot, she keeps calm. And who said thinking with your heart was a bad thing? Maybe I should try it a little more. All I know is any time she is in danger; it makes me think faster, smarter, and harder than I ever would with anyone else. Sometimes I think she is the reason I come to work in the morning. _

"Aw!" Nell said, cover her mouth with her hand. Eric and Callen's shoulders were shaking, and Sam was shaking his head and grinning. Kensi just looked very quiet and calm. Hetty smiled as she put the paper down. While Eric's and Nell's were effective, Deeks's paper was the first that truly accomplished the goal of the assignment; to find out how her team stood with each other. This was as amusing to her as it was to the agents. She took a sip of tea to relax her throat, then picked up another paper.

"I will spare you a few minutes and share my own answers now."


	5. Why Hetty is Thankful

**Author's Note: Again, thank you guys so much for all the reviews, favorites, alerts and PM's. I have a question for you guys, though. Would you like to see all the different one-on-one reactions, after the letters are read? It might make this fic longer than I anticipated, but I think it would be fun. Let me know what you think! On with the story. **

_I am thankful for Agent Hanna because he manages to keep an air of proper protocol about your proceedings. And while he frequently damages my poor vehicles, he never does so unnecessarily. He keeps accurate records-although it would be nice if he turned them in on time-and has, to my knowledge, never lost a camera button. But more than that; I am thankful that he has such a large heart for his team, this organization, and his country. It will serve him well, all through his life. _

"Look at you, getting compliments from the big cheese." Eric grinned at the ex-SEAL, then paled at the look Hetty shot him.

"Mr. Beal, I do not appreciate the comparison to a slice of mozzarella."

"Sorry, ma'am." Eric squeaked.

Hetty continued.

_I am thankful for Agent Blye because she is respectful, hard-working and above all, loyal. She always thinks of others first, but is not such a martyr she forgets to take care of herself. Her humor and grace softens this agency considerably, and I shudder to think what this team would be like without her charm. But the thing I am most grateful about her is the fact she can handle her own; whether from enemy fire or the bantering that I hear every morning coming from the bullpen. That is an admirable trait. _

Kensi was smiling sweetly as the others nodded in agreement with Hetty's observations.

_I am thankful for Mr. Beal because he is the only man I know who can reprogram an entire bank's security system in three minutes, backstop an agent in five, and track a terrorist who underwent reconstructive surgery in seven…all at the same time. His skills are unrivaled and his confidence in his own abilities even more so. While it would be nice if he could learn to keep his sandal-clad feet off of my desks, his quirks are consistent and part of his personality, not attention seeking ploys. That is something I have always admired: consistency. In this line of work, it could save your life. _

Eric was grinning, eyes shining with happiness. Getting a compliment from Hetty was rare and always savored.

_I am thankful for Ms. Jones because she adds a unique flavor to our humble team. Her quick thinking and out of the box reasoning has helped in many, many ways. She is rather fun with her bouncy attitude and always interesting conversation. She also has a large heart that she has a fondness for wearing on her sleeve. While that can be a problem sometimes, she has a remarkable handle on herself and the way she is. I am most grateful for the way she handles what is given to her: with a smile and a hammer. A go getter if I ever knew one. _

Nell blushed at the praise and smiled happily.

_I am thankful for Detective Deeks because he works for this team every bit as hard as if he were NCIS himself. His rather unorthodox methods have proved valid and essential time after time, and his witty remarks- which do admittedly fall flat sometimes- can lighten the darkest of moods. He is not easily intimidated, and I have a feeling would fight with an intensity of a thousand suns if he had to. Loyalty is a trait to be treasured above all others. I hope he continues to cultivate this trait; it will be his saving grace one day. _

Deeks finally poked his head out from behind his hands and saw the sincerity in Hetty's face. He gave a half smile, then hid his head again.

_I am thankful for Agent Callen more than he will ever know. It is his leadership and guidance that truly is the reason for this team's success. If he were ever to leave, I have no doubts this very branch of NCIS would crumble. His readiness to do whatever is required of him, at any time, is both admirable and commendable. But the thing that I am the most thankful for- the thing that he perhaps is not grateful for- is the fact that since joining us, Callen has finally begun to learn the most elusive of all emotional attributes. Trust. I pray that is an attribute he continues to embrace, although I have no doubt he will. _

Callen looked thoughtful as Hetty set aside her paper. The rest of the team were still glowing from their unusually high praise and did not see the look Hetty shot Callen over her glasses. The operations manager took another long drink of tea, then picked up the next.

"Agent Blye, are you ready?"


	6. Why Kensi is Thankful

_I am thankful for Nell because…_

_She is another woman on the team that I can go to. Her sunshiny outlook makes even my worst problems seem controllable, and she always listens when I have a problem. (Even if it is just complaining about Deeks.) And whenever we hang out, I have more fun than I think possible. She helps me loosen up, and her laugh is very contagious. _

Kensi and Nell shared a smile as the boys looked at each other in slight disbelief.

_I am thankful for Eric because…_

_Without him, we would have no idea what we doing half the time. He is the one that finds where we need to go and who we are going after. And despite the fact he can be…sharp, he has always been nice to me. He even fixed my computer once; and he gives me compliments when he sees I am having a bad day. Sometimes he is the only one I can talk to about my problems about members of the team. _

Eric leaned over to Sam and whispered. "That's because I am afraid of what she could do to me if I didn't listen…"

_I am thankful for Sam because…_

_He always has my back, and I have no doubt if I was in trouble he would help me. But sometimes that scares me…I downplay my relationships sometimes because I am scared of what he would do to my exes if he knew the full story. He is like the ultimate big brother…with SEAL training. But he is also one of the sweetest people I know and always tries to cheer me up, even if he teases me like no other. _

Callen said "Sweet?" exactly when Sam said "If I knew _what_ full story?"

Kensi grinned in desperation and nodded at Hetty to continue…fast.

_I am thankful for Callen because…_

_He treats me as an equal. He doesn't expect me to prove myself even though I am female. He does make me crawl in small spaces and wear bikinis to solve a case, but come to think of it…would _anyone_ want to see any other member in a bikini? I doubt it. I don't think there is enough bleach in the world for _that_ mental image. Anyway, Callen never hesitates to give me a big job, just because I am smaller or a woman. But he makes sure I am able to handle myself; he thinks I don't notice that his constant training could apply to a mugging just as easily as disarming a suspect. I know he worries about me…he just doesn't want me to know that. _

Callen tried to protest, but shut up as Hetty glanced at him.

_I am thankful for Hetty because…_

_She is the only woman-aside from Nell-that I would go to if I needed advice. Her tea is a God-send after a tough case, and she knows just how to prepare it so I will like it –not a big tea person. She keeps me grounded and able to work with a bunch of testosterone-plagued adrenaline junkies all day. Plus, her constant concern for our safety is…reassuring. But most of all, watching her scare Sam and Callen into doing what she wants is the funniest thing I have ever seen. _

"She does not scare us!" Sam protested. "Well….maybe just a little."

"Testosterone plagued? You think we are plagued?" Callen asked, his face comical in his confusion.

Kensi refused to look at either of them, but Hetty was smiling as she continued.

_I am thankful for Deeks because…_

_Because he is Deeks. He is the one man I actually trust as much as I trusted my dad. I have no doubt that Deeks will always come for me, even if I was in the deepest, darkest pit on earth. I fight with him constantly, and I feel like strangling him at least twice a day; but if anyone else ever tried to hurt him I would probably kill them. He is my best friend. He never lets me give up, and he believes in me when I don't believe in myself. _

Kensi was staring at Hetty's bookshelf very deliberately as Deeks looked at her with surprise on his face. Hetty smirked to herself.

"I have noticed something while reading these papers; your partnership reflects in each of them. Mr. Beal and Ms. Jones are brief and to the point, Agent Blye and Detective Deeks both have a tendency to ramble-although Detective Deeks's habit is much more pronounced-and both Agent Callen and Agent Hanna wrote in letter form." Hetty commented offhandedly. "Which bring us to you, Agent Hanna."


	7. Why Sam is Thankful

**Author's Note: Don't worry, these are not the ending chapters. By popular demand, there will be reaction chapters. I hope you guys enjoy this update! :) **

_Why I am thankful for my team. _

_This team is the most efficient, organized team I have ever served on. And that is clearly because of the people. _

_Our computer tech –and wizard- Eric is our eye in the sky. He makes sure we get where we are going and has saved our skins multiple times by knowing where everyone is at once. I have no idea how he does what he does, but as long as it keeps us safe, I want him to do it. And I hate to admit it, but his whistling isn't as annoying as it used to be. The other bonus is with him around; I know I will never be the worst dressed person in the building. _

Eric looked insulted. "What is wrong with my clothes?"

Sam nodded pointedly at Eric Hawaiian shirt decorated with turkeys.

"Touché." Eric admitted.

_But even Eric couldn't accomplish half of what he does without the assistance of our cheerful analyst. Nell, I admit, had to grow on me a little bit. I don't like people talking over me, but I know she doesn't mean to. I often wonder where she gets her energy, but as long as she is alert enough to catch a detail everyone else missed, I couldn't care less. She is a valuable addition to our unit and she makes me smile every once in a while. When she and Eric team up, they are unbeatable. _

Nell grinned at Sam and he nodded slowly back with a friendly smile.

_Kensi has been with us a long time, from the beginning. I feel safer around her than around some SEALs I used to know; she is strong, observant, and always on her toes. She may be a fun target to tease, but she can give it back as fast as I can dish it out. I may feel protective of her sometimes, but I know she can handle herself. She doesn't like talking about herself, and I think that is why she respects my own personal space so mush. I am grateful she is a part of my unit, and not just because she can keep a muzzle on Deeks. Sometimes, I think she is what keeps us human. _

Kensi had a small smile as Hetty paused to sip some tea.

_Deeks is…Deeks. He works hard-too hard-to be a part of this team. He pushes the envelope, has no tact, says exactly what he thinks, and lacks refinement. And that is what makes him such a great addition to the team. Sometimes the envelope has to be pushed, sometimes tactlessness is necessary, and none of us are exactly refined ourselves. For all his faults-and there are a lot of them-he genuinely cares about people and puts his own safety somewhere behind everyone else. He is the kind of guy you can imagine rescuing kittens from trees on his days off…even if it is only to impress a girl. I know he has my back, and the guy has grown on me. To be honest, I can't imagine the team without his stupid jokes. _

Deeks was openly staring at Sam, jaw dropped. "I thought you didn't like me?"

"Like I said, you grew on me. Like mold." Sam said, giving a half grin.

_I am so thankful that Hetty is the way she is. I wouldn't ever want to make her mad myself, but I have seen her turn into a wildcat to protect this team. She may be small, and she may be quiet, but I would rather face an entire terrorist cell then Hetty when she is angry. She doesn't hesitate to chew us a new one if needed, but she defends us with the same ferocity. She can be tricky to convince when it comes to some of our plans, and that has probably saved our lives a couple times. We may run the race, but she holds the reins. I don't think we could function without her. _

Hetty glanced at Sam with a small smile. "I appreciate the sentiments, Mr. Hanna, but I have no doubt you could operate without me." Nonetheless she seemed pleased.

_And that brings me to G; the most infuriating person I have ever met. He is walled off, refuses to let people in, hides his pain behind snappy one-liners and fake smiles and thinks I don't notice. He pushes himself too hard and neglects his personal health and wellbeing. He is always trying to do things on his own, but he gets all hurt when I try to avoid painful conversations or leave him out of something. He can flip the tables on me in a second and get me to spill my guts over my most vulnerable topics, then mock me. ( I know he doesn't mean it.) He can read me better than a book and can sucker me into any plan in less than a minute. He has the biggest heart of anyone I know, but he buries it so deep you wouldn't know. It is in his blood to be a lone wolf and that makes him a frustrating person to work with. So why am I thankful for G? I am thankful for G because I would probably be dead without him. I am thankful for G because he has never let me down. I am thankful for G because he has become the brother I always wanted. I am glad he is my partner because of the little things. The way he can drag me back from any guilt I feel, his way of understanding things I tell him; the fact he thinks he can save the world before lunchtime. Who knows…maybe he can. His techniques, quick thinking, and ability to lead are the best I have seen. He would never put an agent in unnecessary danger-although he does it to himself frequently-and loses sleep to make sure they are safe. Although he doesn't get enough sleep to start with. His banter, his ability to listen, his saving my butt on a regular basis, and his readiness to say he is sorry makes him the best partner I have ever worked with. I trust him completely, and have no doubt that he would back my play on anything. There is no other man out there that I would want to be partners with. _

Hetty stopped reading and cleared her throat. "Sam, were you, by any chance, doing your partner evaluation at the same time as this assignment?"

Sam looked sheepish. "Yeah…I was running out of time before both deadlines."

"I can tell." Hetty smiled.

Callen looked a proper mix of pleased, offended, and downright confused. "I am the most infuriating person you know? Even more than Deeks?"

Sam didn't miss a beat. "Ten times more than Deeks."

"I'm still sitting right here, guys." Deeks mumbled.

"We can smell that, Deeks. What is that...it smells really...fruity." Callen sniffed. "Are you wearing perfume?"

"It's pineapple shampoo, if you must know. Brad Pitt uses it." Deeks said defensively.

"I doubt Brad Pitt uses pineapple shampoo, Deeks." Callen said teasingly.

"Mr. Callen, your clever stalling does not fool me, and it will do nothing to this letter in my hand. It is your turn." Hetty broke in.

"Eh…Hetty, I think I'd like to-" Callen tried to stand.

"Sit, Mr. Callen." Hetty said reprovingly.

Callen paused. "I was just going to ask if I could read the letter myself. Please."

Hetty stared at him in surprise. "Very well, but you must read every word."

"Every word?"Callen asked, taking the paper and standing in front of the group.

"Every. Word." Hetty accented her statement by tapping her finger against her desk.

"Alright than. Every word." Callen cleared his throat and began.


	8. Why Callen is Thankful

_Alright, Hetty, I will finish this little psych exercise. I know you are worried about our mental health since Nate left us; although I can assure you we are just fine. I could just say a collective 'I am thankful for my team because they do their jobs, have each other's backs, and have a good sense of humor.' It's the truth, but I know you won't accept that, because that is not what you want. You want to know what we really think of each other. Hey, if you want to know what I really think of the people on my team…here you go. _

Hetty looked embarrassed. "You could have skipped that part."

"You said every word."

_Kensi is one of my favorite people, period. She knows right what she wants from life and takes it. She doesn't require special treatment because she is a woman and would probably hit me if I even suggested it. She has incredible insight into people and can get witnesses to open up to her in moments when it takes Sam or me hours. She is the only woman I know that can take down suspects in stilettos and look completely calm doing so. She is only one in this entire office that isn't hounding me to get into a relationship; maybe because she understands. She is fearless, and I am always glad to know she has my back._

"I am one of your favorite people?" Kensi sounded happy. "That's…I've never heard you saw anything like that before."

Callen gave a sideways nod, tilting his head slightly. He continued.

_Deeks is a good man. He may be annoying, frustrating, and one-track minded, but he works hard and seems to care for this team. He has become one of us, and I think that is a good thing. It is healthy for Kensi to have a partner that pushes her, and it is good for all of us to have someone who thinks outside the box. Deeks learns fast, and doesn't let anyone push him around. He's got a lot to learn, but I think he can make it. His talents are wasted at LAPD; I am glad he works for us now. _

Deeks was grinning ear to ear. "I knew it! You do like me! You admit it!"

"Don't push it." Callen muttered. "It took a long time for me to warm up to you. It wouldn't take much to change that."

Deeks wasn't buying it.

_I constantly expect Eric to perform miracles and he constantly comes through. I know I don't thank him half as often as I should, but his ego is intact enough I don't think it bothers him. He rarely takes sides in a fight, and sometimes helps the team work something out while remaining neutral. He is the best at what he does, and there are many times I am glad he is on our side; if he chose to use his talents for crime we would probably never catch him. I admire him for never apologizing for who or what he is. His computer skills and logic might be brilliant, but his jokes need work. And if he ever uses a duck call on us again, I will let daylight between his ears. _

"Point taken." Eric said quickly. Callen smirked before moving on.

_Nell is nice to work with and I am glad she is around. She honestly cares about people, and is the kind of person that goes out of her way to make others happy. She doesn't play politicking games and isn't out to make a name for herself-very refreshing in this organization. She respects my authority, maybe a little more than she should. She brightens the place up regularly with her quick smile or seriously chipper attitude. The best thing about her is she knows her position isn't vital to our team, but she has made __herself__ essential without even meaning to. We would be a sad place without her, that's for sure. _

Nell was blushing happily; Callen never really talked to her that much. She was surprised he thought so highly of her.

_Okay, Hetty, here is what I really think of you. I'm sure you're dying to know. You are the entire reason I even stay here. You are like my guardian angel, always looking after me and protecting me from myself. You may scare me and mess with my head on a regular basis, but I know you are always covering me and defending me at the same time. You let me run my team the way I feel it should be run, and you have never yanked my leash without me deserving it. You push me to go farther then I think I can go, you make it obvious you would listen but never push me to talk. When I was younger I sometimes pictured what my family would be like, and you would be the grandmother I always wanted; feisty but loving and always there. _

Callen froze at the end of the statement. He had never told anyone-not even Nate-about how he pictured Hetty. He hadn't even realized it had slipped into his writing. He swallowed hard; if that had snuck in on him, what else could unconsciously been added during the others?

Hetty looked touched.

Callen moved on slowly.

_And that leaves me with Sam. Why am I thankful for Sam? What do I think of him? _

_He knows. _

When Callen did not continue, Deeks exploded. "What? We all pour our hearts and souls out about each other and all you have to say about your partner is 'he knows?' That's not right, man!"

Hetty glanced at Deeks with a small smile. "Patience, Mr. Deeks. Callen will continue in a moment."

Callen glanced at Hetty pleadingly, but she would not back down. "Either he will, or I will finish it for him."

Callen clutched the paper and started reading, not meeting anyone's eyes.

_He knows things no one else knows about me. He knows when I am hurting, when I am faking, when I am teasing, when I'm actually angry and when I am just playing. He knows about my sleeping problems and some of my past foster homes. He knows my fears, my anger, and my stupid little pipe dreams. He knows exactly how many heartbeats it takes me to reload my gun in a firefight and covers me during every one. He knows when I am forming a dangerous plan before I even say it and tries to talk me out of it. He knows why I am restless and knows not to let me beat myself up. He knows when I am sorry without me saying it, and always forgives me. He knows when I am about to self destruct and doesn't let me. He knows when I blame myself for something and how to get me out of it. He knows when I have been bottling something up and when I have just had a meltdown. He knows I actually listen when he talks about something bothering him. He knows I know exactly when he is about to lose it and when he is about to laugh. He knows when I don't want to say anything and exactly how to make me say it anyway. Hetty, you know how hard I have worked to build walls around myself, but Sam came in with a battering ram and forced me to open up to him. He knows that I don't trust people easily. I hope he knows I trust him more than any other person in my life. I hope he knows I'd die before I let anything happen to him on my watch._

_There…happy, Hetty?_

_-Callen. _

Callen crumpled the paper and suddenly walked very, very quickly away. Hetty made to stand up but Sam stopped her.

"I got this one, Hetty." Sam hurried after his partner, leaving the rest of the team to look at each other. Eric and Nell said their goodbyes and headed up to the communications center, a small smile playing on Nell's face.

Kensi turned to Deeks and saw him hurrying to the bullpen. She apologized to Hetty and started after him.

Hetty, left alone at her desk, stacked the papers neatly except for Callen's wrinkled one. She grinned to herself; the talks that were sure to be going on at the moment were the whole point of the exercise. It had been a success as far as she was concerned…although she wished she could be a fly on the wall for the reactions.


	9. Kensi and Deeks Reflect

_Author's Note: I am kind of nervous about this chapter; I really like the chemistry between Deeks and Kensi, and how they almost but never quite say what we all want them to say. It was kind of hard for me to try to write that kind of interplay…I hope I did them justice! :) _

"Hey, Deeks." Kensi smiled as brightly as she could as she perched on her desk, facing her unusually quiet partner. "That was crazy, huh?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Crazy." Deeks was flipping through a file quickly.

Kensi bit her bottom lip. She really wanted to ask Deeks about his assessment of her. The way he wrote it almost sounded like he…no, he couldn't…did he?

"So…" She started tapping her fingers in an erratic pattern.

Deeks looked up. "You always hate it when I do that…why are you doing it?"

"I guess I picked up the habit." Kensi shot back, watching as Deeks turned around and grabbed a doughnut.

"I'm glad I've been such a good influence." Deeks said around a mouthful of the pastry.

That was Kensi's opening. "Yeah, good thing you are here; I might think with my heart too much."

Deeks's head shot up and he looked slightly hurt. "Kensi, I am so sorry; I didn't know Hetty would read those out loud. I didn't mean that as a bad thing…are you mad?"

Kensi hurried to reassure him she was not. "No, of course not. You were just saying what you really thought, how can I be angry at that?"

Deeks relaxed, and neither one looked away after a moment of silence. Deeks spoke carefully.

"So…I'm your best friend, huh?"

Kensi blushed slightly. "So, I'm the reason you come to work, huh?"

Deeks smiled. "You think I come for the day-old Danish?" He cocked his head and laced his fingers behind his head. Kensi laughed.

"I don't know, the coffee is like a siren song for me." She said with a grin. Deeks laughed with her. After a moment, he looked concerned. "Did…you really mean what you said?"

"No, Deeks, I totally lied in what I thought was a private letter to Hetty." Kensi said in a highly sarcastic tone. Deeks flinched and Kensi suddenly felt guilty.

"I'm kidding, Deeks."

Deeks gave a small smile. "I know…I'm just not used to people actually saying nice things about me. I don't know if you noticed, but I am not the easiest person to get along with."

"Oh, I noticed." Kensi nodded empathically.

Deeks continued as if she hadn't spoken, staring at his desktop. "It seems like the more I care about someone the more I push them away. I don't want that to happen to us, Kensi."

Kensi had the weirdest feeling he wasn't talking about just their partnership. "It would take a lot to push me away, Marty."

Deeks looked up in surprise at her use of his given name. She didn't stop talking, instead standing and walking to the coffee pot behind Deeks's desk.

"We've been through some pretty serious stuff together, Deeks. And I have put up with a lot from you, and vice versa. I think if you were going to push me away, you would have done it already." She poured a cup of the warm liquid and returned the carafe to its plate with a slight clatter. "I'm not going anywhere." She turned and took a sip, hoping the action would cover her shaking hands.

Deeks was looking right at her, giving her the vaguest impression he was looking right through her, right into the depths of her mind. It gave her a slight unsettled feeling, but not unpleasant. His eyes narrowed, then he nodded slowly. "I'm not planning on going anywhere, either. And thanks for not, like, kicking me for saying you were pretty."

Kensi laughed sincerely. "I'm not in the habit of kicking people that give me compliments."

"What about that guy at Westerford's?" Deeks pointed out.

"Okay, sleazy guys in local dives I will kick." Kensi amended her statement. "But not people I…trust." She took another sip hastily.

"You really meant that? You really trust me?" Deeks sounded surprised.

"Of course, Deeks. Shouldn't I?" She cocked her head at him and set her cup down on his desk.

Her partner was silent for a long moment. "That could be dangerous, you know." He was quiet. "People that trust me always wind up hurt."

"Hey, I'm the one whose partners get shot. Maybe you should be scared of _me_." Kensi said with a slightly bitter laugh. "And besides. It's worth the risk to me."

Deeks and Kensi stared at each other for a long moment. Finally the liaison officer grinned. "Hug?" He spread his arms.

"Just this once." Kensi said and pulled him close comfortingly. They stood there a moment, then Kensi pulled back. She noticed Deeks seemed reluctant to break the embrace, but he took a step back as well.

"We good?" She asked with a smile, looking right in his eyes.

"We're good." He confirmed, smiling a true Deeks smile.

As Kensi returned to her desk, she glanced back at her partner. There was something in his eyes…something more than trust…but it couldn't be love…could it? No….well…could it?

She sat, thinking to herself that she would probably never know. Deeks wasn't the kind of person that told someone how he felt; they kind of had to guess. She was just thankful that she had plenty of time to figure it out.


	10. Sam and Callen Confront

_Author's Note: I really hope I didn't make our boys too mushy in this chapter…I was in kind of a mushy mood when I wrote it. :/ Anyway; is response to some questions I was asked: I am planning an Eric/Nell reaction, a group reaction, and Hetty's observations –where we will see some different one-on-one reactions I didn't want to give a full chapter to. I hope you guys are still enjoying the story, and reviews are my lifeblood! :) _

Sam leaned casually against the wall watching Callen clean his gun with vicious force. Callen didn't even look up when Sam entered, just sat his gun down on the table and leaned into his fists on the table top.

"She knows I hate that. She _knows_ how much I hate that." Callen growled, slamming a hand down flat. Sam didn't respond immediately, and Callen continued. "Why does she play with my head like that? _How_ does she play with my head like that?" Callen seemed to calm down as he considered that. "Every time. I know what she is trying to get out of me, I try not to let it slip, and yet she still gets it out of me!"

Sam finally walked over to his partner. "You know…showing emotion every now and then doesn't make you lose any authority with us. You could do it more often."

Callen shot an icy glare at Sam. "That isn't why I don't talk and you know it."

"Yeah, I know it." Sam couldn't resist teasing him. "After all, I know everything about you."

"Not everything." Callen corrected sharply, but a smile played across his face. "But what you do know apparently frustrates you." He added, and Sam caught a slight hurt in his voice.

Sam laughed in surprise. "Were you really offended by me saying that?"

"No." Callen snapped, and Sam laughed again. "Yes, you were."

Callen just looked at Sam piercingly. "Well, you meant it."

Sam shook his head. "Yeah, you frustrate me. But only because you refuse to take care of yourself. You do a great job of keeping everyone else safe, you need to-"

Callen held up a hand. "How many times do I have to say 'you are my partner, not my mother.'?"

Sam chuckled. "Thank God."

Callen frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Could you imagine if I was your mother? I'd go grey before my time."

"You don't have any hair!" Callen protested good-naturedly. "You shave yourself bald!"

"Why do you think that is?" Sam said pointedly, but teasingly. "Hanging around you, it would just fall out on its own."

"Am I that bad?" Callen seemed honestly concerned.

Sam nodded. "You have no idea. Do you know how stressful it is to have a partner who keeps trying to be a lone wolf?"

Callen turned away and started field stripping his gun again. "Lone wolves protect the pack." There was a strange tone in his voice.

Sam cocked his head. "What?"

"Lone wolves draw hunters and predators away from the pack. They are too dangerous themselves to be a part of the pack, but they still protect it in a roundabout way." Callen explained, surveying his spotless weapon.

"That's bull and you know it." Sam said reprovingly. "Lone wolves are selfish; they refuse to see that the pack defends itself best when _all_ the members work together. If the lone wolf could see that pulling back actually hurts the pack, I would hope he would stop it." Sam stopped for breath. "And if that is what is going on in that hard head of yours, you can forget it. We don't need protecting from anything, least of all from _you_." He stopped. "Are you laughing?"

Callen finally stopped trying to hold in his mirth. "Sam…" He gasped out between peals of laughter. "You sure know how to beat a metaphor to _death_." He finally stopped laughing enough to look calm. His shoulders were still shaking slightly. "I had no idea you felt so…strongly against wolves."

"Not wolves. _Lone_ wolves." Sam held up a finger. "There is a difference." He frowned. "Do you really feel like I come after you with a battering ram?"

Callen looked embarrassed. "Sometimes, yeah." He shrugged. "But I guess that's part of being partners, right? Dragging the deepest, darkest secrets out of each other all the time? Even when it hurts?"

Sam didn't know how to respond to that. "I only do it because-"

"You care, I know." Callen shrugged again and turned away.

Callen and Sam fell into silence while Sam started cleaning his own gun. Callen walked to the gun rack and seemed to be counting the guns. Seemingly satisfied, he moved on to the next one. Sam finally spoke quietly.

"G, I'll try to give you more space, okay? No promises, but I'll try." He turned his gun over, but his eyes were not on the firearm.

Callen answered. "And I'll try to take better care of myself." He turned around and smiled.

Sam prompted him. "And be less of a lone wolf?"

"Well, like you said. No promises." Callen grinned and ducked as Sam threw a rag at him. He howled theatrically. "I always thought we needed a mascot."

"I show you mascot." Sam threatened, but was interrupted by his cell phone beeping. "It's Eric. Says he wants us up in the operations center. Something important."

"Another case?" Callen said, eyes lighting up.

Sam shrugged, and fell into perfect step with his partner as they headed to the com room. He didn't know what his life would have been like without Callen as his partner-infuriating though he may be-but he was thankful he never had to find out.


	11. Eric and Nell Consider

_Author's Note: This chapter doesn't have much seriousness in it, mostly because I couldn't picture our favorite analysts getting too serious. The group reaction will be next, then Hetty's final conclusion. Thanks for all your support and hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! _

Eric leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk fearlessly. "Man, that was hilarious. Did you see the look on Callen's face when Hetty made him finish? I am so glad I had a camera trained on him…that is a Kodak moment if I ever saw one."

"And Sam's expression when they read your letter!"

"And Hetty's getting all embarrassed when the team kept saying how much they needed her."

"I know! And Kensi's face when Hetty read Deeks's letter!" Nell said, laughing. Then she paused. "He was pretty accurate in his letters."

"Yeah, if you call spilling his mental guts like an ADD parrot accuracy."

"Excuse me! Borderline ADD here." She motioned to herself.

"No offense meant." Eric said hastily.

Nell was mollified. "I will never forget Deeks blushing when Hetty read he admitted Kensi was pretty. I mean, she totally is, but it was funny he admitted it." There was a beat. "Do _you_ think she is pretty?" There was a weird tone in her voice…Eric couldn't figure out what it meant. She seemed to be waiting for a response.

Eric felt like he had just been trapped in a glass bowl. He now knew how his pet goldfish felt. "Um..yeah." He was focusing on his computer screen. "She is pretty. Not like…the best looking lady I have ever seen, but she is definitely pretty."

Nell seemed to be mulling over that answer. Eric swallowed hard. "So, I want to say thanks."

"For what?" Nell tilted her head, looking for all the world like a pixie when she did that.

"For…being you." Eric said, hoping it came out better then he thought it sounded. "I don't think half of what you actually do got covered by everyone. I'm...glad it is you that got partnered up with me."

Nell shot him a smile. "It _was_ nice to hear how much we were appreciated, huh?"

"Yeah. Both of us." Eric grinned slightly. "They all seem to finally notice our brilliance."

"When we team up." Nell pointed out.

"They would be so helpless without us." Eric joked.

"Completely." Nell nodded.

"Hey, there's Oreos in a box under my desk if you want them. Don't tell Hetty." Eric said as he tried to access the camera he had trained on the team earlier.

When Nell did not respond he looked over at her. She was pacing, rubbing her hands in deep thought.

"Nell?" Eric said in concern. "Are you okay? Something wrong?"

The small woman looked up sharply. "Oh…I was just thinking…"

"That's always dangerous." Eric joked. Nell didn't answer.

"About…?" Eric prompted.

"Well…this entire team has always functioned by hiding things…feelings…emotions from each other." Nell seemed concerned about something. "Now that at least some of those feelings are out in the open…I don't know how the team is going to take it. Their whole dynamic might be changed."

Eric scoffed. "Come on; you think the team is going to suffer because Deeks admitted he liked Kensi or that Callen actually has emotions toward people…" He trailed off. "I can see your point."

Nell nodded emphatically. "And without Nate here to buffer it…I'm just worried, that's all."

"Well, don't be." Eric assured her. "They'll be okay."

"I'm not sure about that…" Nell countered.

"You want to see that they are just fine? Just watch them the next time you see them. They'll be fine." Eric said lightly, swiveling around and facing Nell directly.

"Why don't you call them up here?" Nell said suddenly, excitedly. "We can see how they are reacting and maybe head some of the problem off at the pass!"

Eric looked at Nell. "You want me…to call Callen up here for no reason…in the mood he is in?"

"Just say it was a false alarm or something." Nell said dismissively.

Eric realized something. "You just want to see how everyone reacted, don't you?"

Nell ducked her head. "Maybe… aren't you?"

Eric paused. "Well…maybe if I accidentally resend a text message while deleting it…they can't blame me for that…"

Nell and Eric sat down instantly and Eric pulled out his cell phone. After a moment he closed it, taking a deep breath. "Hopefully Callen doesn't use my head as a punching bag."

"Oh, come on. Callen isn't that scary. I would be more worried about Kensi." Nell shrugged.

"Arg. Don't remind me." Eric winced. "They should be up here in three minutes."

"That's enough time for those Oreos." Nell said casually.

"Plenty of time." Eric nodded.

As the two of them split the cookies in half, Eric looked around carefully. "You don't think Hetty can…see us…do you?"

"She's Hetty. She sees everything." Nell said, as she was about to take a bite of cookie. She stopped. Eric and her shared a look and put the cookies back.

"Oh, hey, look!" Nell suddenly ran across the room and pointed to the screen. "Look at this!"

Eric looked up and saw what she was pointing at. The camera feed had been playing, and Nell paused it at one point. He would never have noticed the still; it probably only lasted a second or two. But Nell noticed things like that screenshot. He didn't know how she notice things like that; the little details that people probably didn't even know they gave out. But he was thankful she always did.

"Wow. That is a great picture." Kensi said as the four walked in.

"Whoa…" Deeks paused.

Even Callen and Sam looked impressed.

All six looked at each other, wondering how everyone was reacting to the little exercise.

"Man. That _is_ a nice picture." Deeks said, motioning to the screen again.

All turned to take in the paused still.


	12. The Team Realize

The team looked at the picture on the screen. It was crystal clear and in perfect focus, showing every member. They were all laughing at something; even Hetty had a smile on her face. Deeks's and Kensi's shoulders were touching and they both looked like they were about to fall on the floor from their laughter. Eric and Nell were sharing a conspiring look and Callen and Sam looked completely relaxed and at ease…something Kensi couldn't remember the last time she saw. Hetty was looked at them with an indulgent and almost…motherly smile.

"I guess opening up isn't so bad, huh?" Deeks said, finally smiling.

"Yeah…we actually look like a team." Kensi said, staring at the complete happiness on everyone's faces.

"No." Sam said quietly. "We look like a family."

Everyone was silent for a moment. Finally, everyone started talking at once.

"Oh my gosh, I loved Hetty's expression when Callen read that first part of his letter!" Kensi said to Nell right as Nell said "Did you see Eric's face when Hetty read his letter?"

The two girls moved off laughing with each other.

"What is it with girls and going off by themselves?" Deeks muttered.

"I do not know." Eric shook his head and glanced at the other men. "So, that exercise was crazy, right?"

Sam chuckled. "I'll say. Although it was worth it to hear that Deeks worships me." He grinned. Deeks sharply responded.

"I do not worship you! You're crazy."

"Oh please, you idolize me."

"Do not!"

"You probably have a shrine to me in your apartment." Sam grinned and bumped Deeks's shoulder.

Deeks just looked at him. "One, that is creepy, and two, I do _not_ idolize you."

"Do to."

"Do not."

Callen decided to take pity on Deeks. "And Eric over here tries to live up to my expectations." He grinned as Sam laughed. Deeks pounced; glad he was not the target anymore.

"Yeah, our egomaniacal nerd over here actually cares about what someone thinks." Deeks grinned.

"Hey, hey, hey. All I meant by that was Callen here keeps me in practice. Even Mike Tyson had a personal trainer." Eric said, straightening his glasses with superiority.

"Boom! Downgraded from hero to personal trainer like that." Deeks snapped his fingers and laughed. Callen glared at Deeks and the other man shut up instantly.

Sam just shook his head at the interactions. "Fight nice, boys."

"Oh, yeah, Sam, that reminds me…" Callen glanced at him. "Apparently Deeks has grown on you; what was it…'I can't imagine the team without him?'"

"Without his jokes, G. Without his _jokes_." Sam stressed. "And even those can get irritating."

"You guy talking about Deeks?" Kensi asked as she and Nell rejoined the group.

"How could you tell?" Sam said jokingly.

"The word irritating."

"Hurtful." Deeks muttered.

"Hey, that's something I noticed." Eric suddenly said. Everyone looked at him.

"Everyone called you Callen in their notes except Sam. He called you G." Eric pointed out.

"Yeah, I noticed that too. It's kinda adorable." Deeks said with a smile.

At the expression on Sam and Callen's face, the computer tech quickly backtracked. "And by 'adorable' I mean completely, totally _commendable_ because it shows how close you guys have become as partners." Deeks said quickly. "Kensi, help!"

"So, Eric, what did you want us up here for anyway?" Kensi broke in, deciding she didn't want to break in a new partner anytime soon.

Both computer techs looked guilty. "Well…Eric was trying to delete messages off his cell phone and-" Nell stopped. "Oh, who am I kidding? We just wanted to talk to you guys about what just happened." She shrugged and smiled.

"Yeah, we were…curious." Eric admitted. "Hetty has never done anything like this to us before…"

"No, she hasn't." Kensi said, tilting her head. "Why did she do it this time? Why now?"

"I don't know." Callen frowned. "I mean, all things considered we are no different than any other time."

"I think I know why she did it." Sam said quietly.

"Why?" Deeks asked, then remembered he was still in disgrace.

"Look." Sam nodded towards the still-paused picture on the screen. "When was the last time we were all together like that? Laughing, relaxed, sharing stuff with each other?"

Each of the unit thought for a moment. "I see your point." Callen said.

"I guess Hetty did know what she was doing." Nell said with a smile.

"I occasionally do, my dear." Hetty said from behind the agents. All six jumped and Nell looked embarrassed. "And while Mr. Beal's alert to you all was a false alarm, I just got word from Director Vance about a new case. Get to it!" She said with a nod at Eric. He jumped to action as the others fell into their normal stances during a briefing.

Hetty sent a glance over to the picture frozen on the one screen and noticed everyone else looking over at it every once in a while as well. She got an idea in her head, and filed it away. She wanted to see how her first idea had affected the team before she put it into effect. She smiled to herself. Yes…she would watch, and wait.


	13. Hetty Concludes

_Author's Note: This is the last chapter; thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts, favorites, and PM's! You guys have inspired me on a writing kick, and I have actually started a couple of other plots I had. I had fun writing this chapter...I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for sticking with the story, and I hope to see you all next time! Cheers! –Elle _

Hetty prided herself on being a good judge of people. That judgment came from the ability to observe, quietly. For the week and a half after her team-building exercise, she did nothing but observe her agents.

There were little things the first day; the camaraderie between Eric and Nell seemed to increase, Deeks seemed more comfortable with the team, Kensi laughed genuinely, and she had even caught Callen smiling once. But time wore on, she observed even more.

One afternoon, Hetty overheard a heated discussion between Callen and Deeks.

"You acted out of line, Detective!" Callen was yelling. "What were you thinking, jumping in like that?"

"I was trying to save your life!" Deeks snapped back. Kensi and Sam seemed to be trying to blend into the wall behind the bullpen. Hetty hadn't seen either man that upset in a long time.

"I was wearing a vest, you weren't!" Callen snapped, his face inches from Deeks's.

"I didn't know that!" Deeks shot back, every bit as angry as Callen.

Hetty wondered if she should go down and separate the two men, but decided to wait a moment more.

"Then you should have checked!" Callen yelled.

"What was I supposed to do? 'Oh, Callen, that guy behind you has a gun and is a second away from pulling the trigger, are you wearing a vest?'" Deeks snapped. "I saw him aim; I pushed you out of the way. I didn't think."

"You almost got killed!" Callen snapped, a little fire gone from his voice.

"So did you!" Deeks snapped back.

"Be more careful next time!" Callen turned on his heel and stormed towards the training room. "And Deeks?"

"What?" Deeks yelled back.

"Thanks." Callen slammed the door to the training room loudly.

Hetty smiled to herself and went on with her paperwork.

A day later, she heard Kensi and Sam talking as she walked by the bullpen.

"So…Sam…" Kensi was saying, hesitantly.

"Yeah, Kens?" The ex-SEAL looked up.

"You remember a little while back, that loser I was telling you guys about?" Kensi said conversationally. "You know, the one that I mistakenly went on a second date with? The one that almost didn't take no for an answer until I pulled my gun?"

"I remember." Sam said, a strange tone in his voice.

"Well, funny story. I ran into him at the coffee shop this morning…he had a huge black eye and he acted like he had seen a ghost. He took one look at me and ran out, dropped his latte and everything." Kensi cocked her head at her friend. "Would you know anything about that?"

Sam choked on a sip of coffee. "I…no. Not a thing." He shook his head quickly.

"Uh..huh." Kensi nodded, her face displaying her suspicion. "Why do I not believe you?"

"How do you know he didn't run because you scared him? A girl pulling a gun on him is bound to give the guy the creeps."

"Because I have seen him in that coffee shop before and he never acted like that." Kensi said, smiling slowly. "And this only happened after you dragged the full story out of me last week…coincidence?"

"Must be." Sam shrugged.

"Uh huh. Sure." Kensi grinned. "What did you do to him? Come on."

"I'm going to plead the Fifth there, Kens. Sorry." Sam hurriedly stood. "I think I'm on the lunch run."

"It's ten thirty!" Kensi said in surprise. "Sam…Sam!"

Hetty silently went on her way, smirking to herself.

A day or so later, she overheard the whole team cheering in the training room. Curious, she poked her head in the room. She was surprised to see Nell attempting to scale the climbing rope. The whole team was shouting encouragement as the small young woman finally reached the top, clinging for dear life.

"Go girl!" "Rock on, Nell!" "Congrats!" Various cheers erupted in the room, Nell beaming with pride as she looked down.

"I made it!"

"We always knew you could!" Eric shouted up to her.

Hetty had to restrain a laugh as the entire team tried to coach Nell on the proper way to descend the rope, every one with a different idea. Finally, the analyst seemed fed up with the conflicting information and slowly descended on her own, the blush of victory still on her cheeks. She stepped down into the middle of hive fives, shoulder claps and a hug from Kensi. Hetty ducked back out as quietly as she ducked in.

Her idea seemed to be working...time to put the second part of her plan into action. Six white envelopes were placed subtly on six desks. She had a feeling the agents would enjoy this part much more than the last one.

A few days later she watched as each agent arrived at her home-well, one of her homes. They all looked surprised as they greeted Hetty and each other. Receiving an invitation to Hetty's home was a shock in itself, but to find they all received one was unheard of.

"Welcome, welcome! Please, come with me." Hetty ushered them toward the wide, luxurious dining room off of the main foyer. She heard the six fall into step behind her.

"Hetty, what is this all about?" She heard Callen ask as she pushed open the double doors. He broke off. "Oh…"

A complete Thanksgiving dinner was set, with seven chairs pulled close around the table. Candles brightened the room, which was adorned in cheerful fall décor.

"Hetty, is this for us?" Kensi said in a quiet, stunned voice.

"Yes, Ms. Blye; I felt that this would be an appropriate reward for cooperating with my little…whim last week." She smiled at her team, pleased with their varying expressions. She had been honored to learn how much the team relied on her and needed her. Indeed, they seemed to have her motives pretty figured out, but she still relished the fact she could surprise the stuffing out of them.

"Hetty, you didn't have to." Nell said quickly.

"Oh, I know, Ms. Jones. But I wanted to." Hetty motioned. "Please, please, sit."

"Thanksgiving isn't for another week, Hetty. Why now?" Sam asked in polite confusion.

"Maybe because I did not want to intrude on any personal plans any of you might have had, maybe because I am an impatient old lady."

"You, Hetty? You are neither old nor impatient." Callen said laughing as the team sat down slowly at the ornate table.

"Thank you for the sentiment, Mr. Callen." Hetty sat at the head, surveying her team.

"If we could all bow our heads and say grace in our own way." She said quietly. All complied, and after a minute or so, Hetty said. "That will do." Hetty smiled. "Now, let's dig in." She motioned to the food.

Through the entire dinner there was banter, laughter, and an ease that reflected in every agent's face. Finally Hetty motioned everyone to silence.

I just want to say a few words before we leave tonight." She folded her hands and looked at each agent slowly.

"Over the past week or so, I have been watching you. Mr. Deeks, please refrain from whatever reference or supposedly witty one liner you just thought of."

Deeks looked surprised. "How do you do that?"

Hetty continued without acknowledging the detective. "We have all worked with each other a long time. We have learned to trust, to respect, even to tease one another. But I want you to know that I have never seen this unit operate as closely as it did this past week. Your arguments." She glanced at Callen and Deeks. "Are not without caring, and your protectiveness" –A glance at Sam- "for your teammates is admirable. Even a simple challenge that a friend is overcoming brought you together. I am proud of each and every one of you."

The whole team seemed surprised.

"We all said why we are thankful for each other, but I would like to add one more thing to that list." Hetty stood and raised her glass. "I am most thankful, forever and always, that we have each other."

"Hear, hear." The rest of the team clicked their glasses and drank with the small woman.

Hetty lowered her glass. "You will find a copy of that marvelous group photo Eric managed to snag on the hall table; one for each of you. Please, take it."

"Thank you, Hetty. For everything." Sam said, than raised his glass again. "To Hetty."

"To Hetty!" The rest of the team caroused as they drank the toast.

"I am honored." Hetty said, and Callen thought he saw tears in her eyes. A little time passed as the team made their final speeches, toasts and goodbyes. As they gathered in the foyer before leaving, each one looked at the other, none wanting to be the first to leave.

"Oh, come on, guys. Group hug." Nell opened her arms. "Just this once."

A moment passed as everyone considered it. Then everyone pulled each other close, for once not caring about images, coolness or keeping people at arm's length.

As they finally broke the circle, the agents left one by one with smiles and promises to see everyone the next morning. Callen was the only one left in a few minutes, leaning against the doorframe. Hetty was grinning from ear to ear. "This was a success, indeed."

"Yeah, I guess so." Callen laughed, watching Deeks and Kensi wave at each other before pulling out of the driveway.

Hetty thought for a moment. "You know, there is this lovely little trust-building game similar to truth or dare that I think would be rather-"

"Hetty, no. Absolutely not." Callen said quickly.

"What about listing what theme song you associate with your partner?"

"No."

"What about role-switching?"

"Hetty!"

"Oh, bugger!"


End file.
